Dedryck Boyata has been a regular around the first team since January 2017, having spent 6 months in the wilderness after an inconsistent and frankly rather unimpressive debut season at Celtic Park.
The Belgian internationalist has come on leaps and bounds since making his re-emergence in a match at the Excelsior Stadium versus Albion Rovers. However, today, it was all over by the media that Boyata was in no rush to sign a new contract.
Whether that is anti-Celtic rhetoric peddled by the media and those that simply lift their content from the red tops, it’s unclear at this stage. We should however look at the factors may be at play in Boyata stalling on a new deal.
Firstly, the most obvious, Boyata and his agent are in the football business not for the long term, they are prospectors looking for the maximum amount they can get at any given time. This is the nature of modern football and it cannot be ignored, footballers have a short career and it makes sense for them to want to capitalise on that as best they can in the interest of themselves, families and agents.
So Boyata could very well just be holding out for a better deal from the Celtic hierarchy for the facts stated before, he sees himself as a key player in the team. He knows that Brendan Rodgers trusts him, describing him as his “best centre half” and wants him to sign a new deal.
Celtic could very well have walked away from proceedings, Boyata’s fitness has come into question this season and various niggles and knocks have limited his performances. This could mean that Brendan Rodgers thinks that he could very well cash in on the Belgian in the transfer window and replace him with someone else.
Boyata has come under fire in the last week after a calamitous trio of errors led to two Rangers goals, and nearly a third. Looking further back, it was Boyata that was at fault for Bayern’s opener at Celtic Park on Halloween in a 2-1 defeat and Boyata was one of two central defenders that shipped 7 and 5 goals against PSG.
Perhaps, his performances haven’t merited the deal according to Celtic that he feels inclined to ask for?
Now, Boyata is an influential player in the Celtic side, he defends well, brings arial presence but struggles with the ball playing aspect that Rodgers craves. It’ll be interesting to see how the stand off progresses as he is a key player and still has plenty to offer in green and white.
The Celtic Star ran a poll this morning asking the support whether Boyata has done enough to earn a bumper new contract.
The results so far are interesting. You can add your own vote below and find out how the voting has gone.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? Do you want Celtic to sign Dedryck Boyata on a new, long term contract?
Loading ...Listening to the dramatic events being described on the radio from Dens Park on 3 May 1986
